Kalam name in Prez race has led to chaos: Karuna

Chennai: Key UPA ally DMK today said naming of A P J Abdul Kalam in the Presidential race has led to chaos and reaffirmed its support to the Congress` candidate.

"Kalam in Tamil also means chaos. Anyhow, chaos has broken out in the Presidential election," DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi told reporters when asked about TMC chief Mamata Banerjee`s insistence on Kalam for the top post.

He, however, said DMK would not go back on its assurance already given to Congress to back its nominee. "DMK will not back out once it gives it`s support. We don`t retract after proposing somebody," he said to a question if the "chaos" would lead to any change in his party`s stand.

"We are firm on what we had said. Defence Minister A K Antony who is said to be a honest man met me (last month) on behalf of Congress. I had extended my support to the message he had brought from (Congress chief) Sonia Gandhi," he said.

He parried a question on whether the result of the Presidential poll will have an impact on the next Lok Sabha elections, saying he cannot reply to speculation. He termed as "expected" YSR Congress Party`s performance in Andhra Pradesh by-elections.

Asked if Congress` poor performance in the recent five state polls and today`s by-elections in Andhra Pradesh would reflect in the general elections, he only said, "Win or loss cannot be reflected."

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